The Difference Between Aspergers and Social Anxiety

The Difference Between Aspergers and Social Anxiety Social Anxiety Disorder Related Conditions Print Are Aspergers Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder the Same? While Often Confused, Aspergers and Social Anxiety are Different By Arlin Cuncic Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder and 7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety. Learn about our editorial policy Arlin Cuncic Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 22, 2019 Social Anxiety Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Universal Images Group / Getty Images Aspergers disorder, also known as Aspergers syndrome, is a pervasive developmental disorder that belongs to the class of autism spectrum disorders  and involves impairment in certain basic aspects of communication and relationships.?? Although people with both Aspergers and social anxiety disorder (SAD) experience difficulty in social situations, they are completely different disorders; the diagnostic criteria and symptoms of the disorders are very different. Aspergers is usually diagnosed in childhood. If your child has been diagnosed with this disorder, he or she might: experience significant impairment in social interaction, such as problems with eye contact, facial expressions, and body postures.have trouble developing friendships, sharing interests and understanding the social and emotional perspectives of others.engage in restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, such as becoming excessively preoccupied with interests, routines and rituals, the parts of objects or repetitive motor mannerisms such as hand twisting. How Do SAD and Aspergers Differ? If you have SAD, anxiety is the driving force behind the difficulties that you experience in social and performance situations.?? Your ability to function is limited by your anxiety in those situations. A diagnosis of Aspergers, on the other hand, does not require the presence of anxiety. Behavior in social situations is instead impaired because of trouble reading and understanding social and emotional cues.?? People with Aspergers might appear tactless and rude  be unable to take hints or understand humorstand too close  talk too loud  have trouble understanding the meaning of gestures, tone of voice and facial expressions These characteristics are opposite of those displayed by the socially anxious; if you have SAD your fear of embarrassment or humiliation most likely manifests in standing too fartalking too softlyor being overly sensitive to the body language of others Those with SAD are capable of forming relationships but are impaired by anxiety; on the other hand, people with Aspergers have difficulty with the nuts and bolts of communication that make relationships possible. Research on Brain Function in Aspergers and SAD Neuroimaging research may shed some light on how the brains of people with SAD and Aspergers differ. Studies of brain function show that for most people, the amygdalaâ€"the emotion center of the brainâ€"is activated when understanding facial expressions.?? On the other hand, for those with Aspergers, the prefrontal cortexâ€"the center for judgment and planningâ€"becomes active when processing facial images. This means that people with Aspergers try to logically figure out the meaning of a facial expression rather than experiencing an automatic emotional reaction. Studies have also shown heightened sensitivity of the amygdala in those with SAD; this makes it even more clear that the two disorders are very different. Treatment for Aspergers and SAD Although there are no firm data, comorbid anxiety disorders are common among children with Aspergers. This means that  it is possible for a child to have both Aspergers and SAD.?? Whether or not a child has one disorder or both, social skills training is one form of treatment that may offer promise for both SAD and Aspergers. Although the cause of social impairment in Aspergers and SAD differs, many of the same symptoms are present in both disorders. If you have Aspergers or SAD, you likely have a host of social skills deficits, such as problems with eye contactbody postures  speech qualities, such as tone, volume, and rate In addition, you probably have trouble building and maintaining friendships. Social skills training has been shown effective in treating social anxiety symptoms and may also offer promise for those with Aspergers in terms of developing basic skills for interacting socially.?? A Word From Verywell Whether you have a child who is showing signs of anxiety or trouble with social situations, or you yourself are struggling, it is important to consult a doctor to learn the meaning of your particular array of symptoms. As described in this article, SAD and Aspergers are separate problems that show some overlap but need to be treated differently. Once youve identified your specific issues, treatment can be devised to help you overcome your difficulties in social situations.